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BYU football: Cougars more resolved not to suffer late-season swoon

I hope there is a different mind set than last year. If not I see the Cougs finishing out 2-2.

When Wyoming scores the first touchdown on Saturday, the Cougs fragile confidence will be shattered. I agree with Texas Cougar - the Wyoming game is going to be tough and they can easily lose it. 2-2 or possibly 1-3, with losses to Wyoming, Air Force and Utah.

Let the boys play the game. That's why they call it sport.

BYU will beat Wyoming. BYU almost always beats the mid to lower level MWC conference teams. Beating them Saturday will tell us nothing. The question is what will happen against Utah and in our bowl game? BYU always beats lesser teams and then 8/10 times loses to top-25 caliber opponents. When we can consistently beat top-25 talent then something has changed. Otherwise, it is just status quo for the Cougs.

I would hope to win the toss and elect to take the ball since I would know that the cougars are 0-8 in getting a first down on their first possession of the 2nd half.

I would get all hyped up for the first 8 minutes of the game knowing that if I score early, the Cougars fold like a cheap tent. Then when the hype fades I will still have the game under control.

I would buy off the Wyoming news services with donor money to say the weather will be cold and blizzard conditions...since the players are more concerned about the weather than the game.

I would replay over and over again the first 45 minutes of the Yewt game telling the players they actually won the game.

"Following last year's 32-7 loss at the hands of TCU, BYU was never the same again."

Actually the Cougars were never the same after shutting out UCLA and then Wyoming last year. Their performance dropped and it was like they had decided they could take it easy and still win every game.

"In the wake of the Cougars' 38-7 setback to the Horned Frogs on Oct. 24, coach Bronco Mendenhall said the mood of his team is much different than it was a year ago as it prepares to visit Wyoming on Saturday (noon, The mtn.). "This team is more resolved and more determined."

Ya know what, Coach, don't even bother making more promises about your team's performance, ok? I'm more than tired of hearing about "getting to the next level" and "executing at a higher level" and "27 easily correctable assignment errors". Please stop adding to the list already. I'll believe the Cougars are "more resolved and more determined" when I actually see it on the field, especially against good teams and in a bowl game.

I will believe that this team is better than last years once they prove it on the field. If they can't win out, they are no better and maybe worse if the lose 2 of 5, I think that this team is going down hill and the coaching staff did not learn a single lesson from last year. We need a coach that can understand how to adapt and not be so predictable. TCU and Utah have BYU figured out and understand their tendices. BYU has no creativity in their offense, they are too predictable! The rush from the defensive line is pathetic with zero pressure.

Hay fellas! Don't worry! If Southern Cal can blown out, so can we. We still have a very good team. We can still beat Utah.

Detmer kills. Go BYU godluck against WYoming and the U

I'm a Ute fan but your claim that BYU is 0-8 in getting a first down on their first possession of the second half seemed a little over the top so I researched it.

In BYU's 8 initial second half possessions, they've gone 3 and out twice (OU and CSU). They've gotten 1 first down twice (Tulsa, USU). They've gotten 2 first downs 4 times (FSU, UNLV, SDSU, TCU).

It is true that they haven't scored on a first second half possession in 8 tries but they've certainly gotten first downs.

Sincere good luck to BYU against Wyoming and Air Force. The Cougars will find, I think, that both teams, especially Wyoming, are better than they have been in the recent past--Air Force's defense is impressive.

I will interested to see if BYU can put up the big numbers it has in the past against the Cowboys and Falcons.

The article in the Tribune a week ago said it all. BYU will never be a power house due to the lack of quality players. They are a consistent middle class team. In our conference they will be towards the top most years but Utah and TCU will have the advantage of drawing better players. More so TCU which seems to be far superior in players and coaching. It is not being critical it is just a fact that BYU is a church school and has requirements that other schools are not held to. Just enjoy when they win a game or play well.

First off, I appreciate the respectful comments by Ute fans on this message board. Different than what I've seen the last few weeks. Your Ute team is good this year, it will be a great game in Provo later this month.

Secondly, I am bothered by supposed BYU fans blaming Coach Mendenhall for lack of success. I was a freshmen during the last and miserable year of Coach Gary Crowton. It was miserable. If you don't remember, look up which teams we lost to during his tenure. Coach Mendenhall is phenomenal and was recently named by ESPN the best coaching fit for any Div I program. That is coaching fit...not necessarily the best coach. There are lots of good coaches, but many would not thrive at BYU. I appreciate the mindset and attitude Mendenhall has brought to Provo. I agree that changes need to be made...maybe with the OC (Anae) or DC (Hill), but to assume that changing head coaches will someone push us into a consistently top 15 school is absurd.

I don't buy into what NL @ 11:51 a.m is saying or what any other naysayers are saying about BYU recruiting. If BYU really can't "draw better players" than why is the 2010 BYU recruiting class ranked 22nd according to rivals dot com? When was the last time either Utah or TCU even came close to having such a great recruiting class? Bottom line is that RIGHT NOW BYU doesn't have as great of talent as Utah or TCU, but that is all going to change, and that change is coming next year!

WE WILL SEE ON SAT. IF WE COME OUT FLAT I WILL BE VERY ANGERED WHERE DID THE FIRE GO? ARE THE PLAYERS ENJOYING THE SPORT THEY DEVOTED THEIR LIVES TO? OR IS IT WORK AS USUAL? I LOVE BYU AND THE COACHES BUT COME ON WE HAVE BECOME THE MOST BORING TEAM IN THE MWC!

Amen, boyy. I agree with your comments. While their are better coaches in America than Mendenhall, I doubt any of them would do any better at BYU with the built-in issues they have to deal with there. Mendenhall probably does as well as can be expected with what he has to work with.

I don't even buy the idea that both TCU and Utah have better athletes "right now" than BYU. I agree TCU does, but Utah? We'll see!

My guess is that TCU will also run circles around Utah this year, proving that they are in a class all their own this year.

Hope the frogs get into the National championship game because if the ball bounces right I think they could beat anyone in the nation.

I like the way the boys play the game. Methodical but sane when they get steam rolled. The integrity of the team is attitude about bouncing back. It won't be the last defeat they will face throughout their lives. I also love what Kyle's boys are doing up North by winning the close ones with Wyo & AF which goes to show that their is more equity in the Mtn that people want to admit (TCU the exception).

BYU is on track to end the season on a swoon again!

Don't know whether the schedule is set purposely, or just by coincidence, but BYU still has to face the entire top 1/2 of the MWC, minus TCU.

BYU has polished their schedule beating up on the bottom half of the MWC so far, now we'll see how they do when facing the better teams in the conference.

BYU could end the season with 4 more losses, and 2-3 more losses are certainly not out of the question.

Are the late season swoons because of the players/coaches getting tired of focusing on so many things ahead of football?

Is there a reason why it seems like BYU always seems to play the easiest teams in the conference in the first half of the season and then limps into the end by playing to toughest games toward the end of the season.

Maybe the characteristic late-season swooning is due more to unfortunate scheduling than anything attributable to Bronco and the gang.